Investigation of stolen plaques from First World War internment memorial a 'priority'

A plaque and statue of a Ukrainian immigant mark the site of the 1915 Castle Mountain internment camp near Lake Louise, Alta., on Aug. 20, 2012. The Canadian government interned nearly 8600 enemy aliens during the First World War, including 660 at Castle Mountain. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Bill Graveland

LAKE LOUISE — RCMP say an investigation into the theft of two plaques from a memorial in the Rocky Mountains that honoured people detained during the First World War is a priority.

The Canadian government identified about 80,000 people as enemy aliens during the war, and those who were living close to urban centres were required to report to the North West Mounted Police.

Nearly 8,600 were deemed to be a threat to Canada and sent to 24 internment camps across the country, four of which were in the Canadian Rockies.

The majority of the prisoners were of Ukrainian descent.

What’s left of the Castle Mountain internment camp in Banff National Park was marked by a commemorative sign giving a brief history and a statue of a Ukrainian immigrant with the simple question “Why?” written at its base.

Sgt. Susan Richter, detachment commander for the RCMP in Lake Louise, says the memorial serves as a place of remembrance and learning, and she calls the theft of the plaques, as well as vandalism to the statue, disappointing.

“The Lake Louise RCMP recognizes the importance of protecting places of historical and cultural significance and is treating the investigation as a priority,”
Richter said in a news release.

Police are asking anyone who may have seen suspicious activity or have come across the stolen plaques to contact Lake Louise RCMP.

They’re also asking anyone who visited the memorial recently and saw the plaques in place to contact investigators with the date.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 11, 2026.

The Canadian Press